Mary McCauley
by Carmen

My name is Mary McCauley and I was born near Philadelphia on October 13, 1754. One day my dad asked to send me to another farm to work. Girls usually were not sent away from home, but I went. So a few weeks later, I went to Pennsylvania to work for a doctor and his wife. While, I was there, I met John Hayes. He was a barber whose shop was not far from doctor’s home. After several months, John and I married. I was 15 when we got married. We were a happy young pair until the American Revolution began. John went to war and I stayed behind in Pennsylvania for a while. Then I began to miss my husband, so I decided to go to New Jersey to be with him at his war camp. I worked long hours everyday at the camp. At the camp I joined the other wives helping with the camp work at the Battle of Monmouth. I worked so hard carrying water to the soldiers that they nicknamed me "Molly Pitcher". I had to be brave because it was so scary during the War. During the battle we were kept very busy. We put the water into cannons to keep it cool. Then one day I saw John on the ground. When I got to him I checked him carefully. "Whew!" He was not shot but he was overcome by the heat. I shouted for someone to bring water to him. Then I quickly took his place at the cannon.

Eight years later John died. His death left me sad and lonely. A few years later I remarried to a man named George McCauley. He was a good friend of John. Several years later I died in my home in Pennsylvania on January 22, 1832.

If I lived during other wars I would help out. I would try to help by handing out supplies to soldiers. I would also try to be a fighter in the war. Since I helped out in the Revolutionary war I could help in other wars.

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